AODA Compliance


ACCESSIBLE SERVICES POLICY

POLICY NUMBER: II-19

Effective date: January 2013
Reviewed: January 2013
Revised: January 2013
Distribution: All Staff

POLICY

HealthPRO is committed to providing persons with disabilities with barrier-free access to services, wherever possible. This Accessible Services Policy is made pursuant to the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Regulation (429/07) under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 ("AODA"). The objective of this Accessible Services Policy is to identify, develop and implement accessible standards to improve access to services to persons with disabilities.

Our organization strives to provide services in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. We strive to ensure that our policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the following principles:

    Dignity - Services are provided in a manner that is respectful of a person's disability.

    Independence - Services are provided in a manner that respect a person's right to do things on their own.

    Integration - Services are accessible in an inclusive manner with full participation as the ultimate goal.

    Equal Opportunity - Services are provided in a manner that allows persons with disabilities equal opportunity to access services.

This Accessible Services Policy applies to all of our organization's employees in their dealings with our members, suppliers and other third parties.

PROCEDURE

  1.1  Communication
         Our organization will communicate by an alternative means upon request, including telephone or email. 

  1.2  Assistive Devices and Technologies 
        Persons with disabilities who use assistive devices or technologies are permitted to use the assistive devices or technologies on our organization's premises. The provision, use and safety of personal assistive devices is the responsibility of the person with a disability.

  1.3  Service Animals
     Persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal as defined in Regulation 429/07, may access our organization's premises.

  1.4  Support Persons
         Persons with disabilities accompanied by a support person, as defined in Regulation 429/07, will be permitted to enter our organization's premises.

  1.5 Notice of Planned or Unplanned Disruption in Services and Facilities


Our organization will take reasonable steps to report any planned or unplanned disruptions in our services that may affect employees, visitors, contractors or members of the public. We will report any disruptions by posting a notice on our premises in a conspicuous location(s). Information about a service or program disruption will also be available by telephone.

The organization will also report alternatives that exist to allow access to the organization's services during the disruption, if possible, to persons with disabilities.

In cases of a temporary disruption, we will provide notice of:

      the time, date and location of the disruption;

      the reason for the disruption;

      the anticipated duration of the disruption;

      description of alternative facilities or services, if any; and

      contact information for the responsible service area.

2. TRAINING

Our organization will provide training about the Accessible Customer Service Standard to all current employees and to those individuals involved in the development and approval of our policies, procedures and practices. New employees will receive training as part of their orientation. In all cases, training will include the following:

  • The purposes of the AODA and the requirements of the Accessible Customer Service Standard.
  • How to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disabilities.
  • How to interact with people with disabilities who use assistive devices or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person.
  • What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing our services.
  • This Accessible Services Policy.

Employees of the organization will also be trained on an ongoing basis when changes are made to these policies, practices and procedures.

3. FEEDBACK PROCESS

Feedback about the delivery of services to persons with disabilities is welcomed as it may identify areas that require change and will assist in continuous service improvement.

Such feedback may be provided by telephone or e-mail or in writing. Our organization will make best efforts to provide a response in the same format in which the feedback was received within a reasonable time. Feedback may be provided directly to HealthPRO's Office Manager, as follows:

Mail:                                   HealthPRO Procurement Services Inc. 
                                           360 Oakville Place Drive
                                           Oakville, ON L6H 6K8
                                           Attention: Office Manager

Telephone/Fax:                P: 905-568-3478 / F: 905-568-5283

Email:                                mail@healthprocanada.com

4. AVAILABILITY OF POLICY to a Person with a Disability:

This Accessible Services Policy, which includes the organization's policy regarding notice of service disruption and its feedback process, is available upon request.

When providing this document or a notice of service disruption to a person with a disability, we will endeavour to provide the document or the information contained in the document in a format that takes into account the persons' disability.